Hi there, my names sonny, I'm 18.
I've browsed these forums for a little while but have not come across one that it related to me, so here's my story.
When I was 15, I played a game called runescape. On this game there was a game called dicing. Basically there's a dice (virtual) what goes up to 100.
0-55 host wins (house)
55-100 you win.
Anyway I played with about 10million and advent y'all's got up to 3.5billion and by this time I was hooked to this game of dicing. I would come home from school rush straight on my computer and gamble and gamble online. Until I lost it all.
Anyway this massive win in this mmorpg made me realise what I could really be winning, at the age of 16 I left school and got a job, I taught myself poker and played illegally on *********. I was playing about £10 a week which isn't to bad. After a couple of months went by I found myself playing it more and more, because this is the only kind of gambling I really knew. It got to the point where I'd be making excuses to where my money's going and lying to my girlfriend. When I hit 18 I went casino. Got introduced to roulette and won big, that's it I was hooked. I spend my whole weeks wage ( I get paid weekly ) on roulette online on live casinos. And never walk away, I play until I have nothing. It's gotten to the point where I'm lying so much to explain where my money is going. I've got debt up to my eyeballs for my age. ******** every month, just so I can get a little buzz of gambling. It's depressing, getting me down. I'm 18 I should be out in town or taking my girlfriend out. Not lying to her about money. I really want to stop it, but I look at my bank balance and think a tenner won't hurt. I'm tried so many times to stop but I can't pull myself away from it. So here it is I'm starting counselling Saturday and going to GA meetings soon, I hope I can kick this horrible habit that has taking so much from me, mentally and physically. I will be keeping updates on here on how it goes, thank you all for listening.
Hi Sonnyj - Well done for coming here and admitting you have a problem - like all of us! You have made a very mature decision in realising that you have to stop now. Good luck with GA - it's been a great help to many.
And don't forget to log on to this site as often as you can because it's such an inspiration to read other people's stories, and you will always find support and encouragement for your journey. Best wishes to you.
Joanna
thats the way to go sonny..just went to my first GA meeting on saturday and it was very good and the people are very welcoming. im definitely going again and im looking for another meeting in my area..the more meetings you attend the better chance you got.
Hi sonny,
welcome to the Forum!
You really want to change the way it's going for you and you have already taken some very positive steps in the right direction.
Maybe you'd also like to take a look at our information website for young people, if you haven't done so yet.
All the best to you!
Kind wishes
Gabriele
Hiya Sonny, brave of you to post on here, whilst my problem wasn't a casino I can relate to what you have said. When I was 16 I used to miss out on so much because I chose to gamble my money on slots and the horses. I would let people down because I had blown my cash and as a result I lost all my friends and have had a miserable life since then. I'm not 33 and after 17 years of ruining my life I have finally stopped. I would give everything to be 18 again and able to not have wasted so much of my life.
You are young enough to sort yourself out and you have made the most important step by admitting you have a problem. There are loads of people here who can give you useful advice and help you out. In my opinion the best thing you can do is speak to your parents or someone else you trust about your problem and let them take control of your finances. Us gamblers need as many barriers as possible to prevent us from gambling and this is an important one. My mum now looks after my wages and if I need to go shopping or on a night out she gives me enough to cover it. The recovery diary section is also really useful and could help you. There is also the 2014 challenge which is a great help if you want to commit to no more bets this year.
Hope to see some more posts off you. Don't waste your life in a casino mate, theres so much more out there for you!
Hi sonny my own story is similar to yours. It was the horses I got addicted to and it all started when I was 15/16. I used to go to the bookies at lunch and spend all the money I had been given for my weeks lunch usually 20-30 euro. I remember looking forward to getting home just to see if any of my horses had won to know if I had money to bet with the next day.
This got worse over the years and from spending 20-30 a week I was spending 200-300 by the time I got to 18 and college. Used to blow all my student grant on betting. I'm now 23 and finally looking for help and want to congratulate you on seeking help at an early age as most 18 year olds don't think their betting is a problem, I know I didn't
Hi Sonny
First off you are 18, be thankful you have worked this out so young, and believe me you are a lot younger than you probably think, next thing you know in the blink of an eye you will be 25 then 30 etc etc (all being well) This time flies so fast and they are the best days of your life, DO NOT WASTE THEM clicking buttons and throwing your life away chasing a plastic dream, get out there address your problem and LIVE your life do not waste anymore gambling
I've wasted 10 years and £100's of thousands and the money I can live with...the wasted time and chances, I am not so sure about
Good luck and get to a GA meeting asap please
Plastic Dreams!!!
Thanks for all your advice and story's.
I'm going to my first councilling session tomorrow. Nervous to say the least I've told my girlfriend and she's being supportive.
I was in tears yesterday about how much debt I'm in and not being able to pay it back. I will keep you all informed on how tomorrow goes.
It's harder then I think everywhere you go there's bookies or something :/
Kind regards to all
Hi sonny i am only 19 and the best advice i can give you is to stop now and seek help. i started pretty much exactly like you got myself into 2k debt at 18 lost about 3-5k in bonds and birthday money and the countless months wages. I stopped for near on 6 months on my 19th birthday paid of my debts saved up bought a car which i could have never done whilst gambling. Had a little gamble before christmas and won then won some more money in january only about £200. but boy did February hit me hard lost nearly £1000 in 3 weeks i feel physically sick thinking about it. I even tried winning some back yesterday and lost another £150. I live off about £60-70 a week so this is big big money to me. I need to stop again and be a happy person again not the sad miserable boy with no money that doesn't even want to take my girlfriend cinema because i look at that as wasting more money. we can do this together gotta be strong mate !
Hi sonny, im 23 and only started gambling seriously the past year. I got inheritance money and now have lost it all. I gambled online as I saw it as so much easier. I am now broke and have nothing to my name. Unknowingly I have pushed friends away as all I wanted to do was gamble. We are young and have so much time left to fix this. I haven't gambled for just under 2 weeks now and had no urge to either. Luckily for you your girlfriend is being supportive, mine is but she hates me now you can just see it in her face. What can you do though hay. Live and learn brother
Hi Sonny.
Found this really interesting. Firstly, stay strong. You've broken the gambling cycle and each day you should feel good that you've accomplished another day, this helped me through the time I stopped gambling which was around 18 months.
I'm now 24, I had been gambling from the age of 16 to 23 and then stopped until recently.
I'm a compulsive gambler, I gamble on roulette, poker, slot machines, sports, ANYTHING..... But here it comes.... Dicing also.
I used to play Runescape and had done so for YEARS. It's a game where there is no real life money involvement which is what's really interesting. I however used to buy GP coins off some Chinese seller. Something like 1M for £5/6. I would then dice... You may also agree that it's pathetic.. But that's what I would do. I would buy M and M and would GAMBLE a virtual ingame currency.
I have relapsed. Today I have come back to these forums after not using them for over 18 months. Today I will not gamble, and I will fight the temptation and urge every day. I have been gambling for 7 years. Luckily we are still young. Anybody can work towards changing their life around but fortunately for us we can do it now and learn from this.. Not gamble for more in to our lives
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